Good Fences Make Good Neighbours

 

Robert Frost penned the above line which I feel connects very well to the current Indian relations with her neighbours.India , has always lived upto its image of “Bharat Mata “. Her children have always lend a helping hand to all those in need but unfortunately has got less in return. Her philanthropic nature isn’t reaping the reciprocative results.We share our borders with nine major countries namely China, Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.There is no doubt about the fact that our progress and growth is indirectly or directly dependent on our neighbours but the mutual understanding is missing.

First and foremost our “loggerheads friends”- Pakistan.In 1965, India generously gave away Haji Pir pass of the Pir Panjal range to Pakistan. Despite that, they attacked us with all their might. Then again India tried to extend an olive branch by releasing 93,000 prisoners and surrendering some territorial rights. But as we all are seeing, Pakistan is still not satisfied. Hungry for more and more land, they are getting too demanding. I guess our “art of giving” hasn’t changed the belligerent tone of Pakistan. They still have lot to take from us, it seems.
Not only this, on the eastern side, Bangladesh is enveloped by Indian lands. This nation has still been recuperating from the civil wars that this nation has faced. India gives them an aid of $ 1 billion with one-fifth as grant. The generosity is well accepted but not well returned. They even demanded for water sharing of Ganges and wanted a 50% share in Teesta river’s water. They did not even allow the operation of Farraka Barrage which was to be built to increase water supply in Hoogly river. The final decision has not been taken but such bold demands of the neighbouring nations are redolent of the fact that we are being taken for granted. Even though the cultural ties are peaceful and cordial, both the nations are still on a dispute for the Bay of Bengal seawater.
Next is the Championing China…China has often not only been self-centered but also brutal. They want to take all actions unilaterally without caring about the downstream nations. In a new bulletin, aan unofficial Chinese forum claimed that “if China takes a little action, the so-called Great Indian Federation can be broken up into 30 pieces.” The skirshmishes between the two potential powers have never ended. Once, the Chinese soldiers attacked us on Nathula pass leading to high loss of life and in the borders of Sikkim where our Gorkha warriors gave a suitable retaliation.
Not to forget the troubled terrain of Myanmar, which was initially a territory of Britain. In 1988, when the NLD(National League for Democracy) leaders were suppressed by an army coup they were stranded. India extended a helping hand and provided shelter to the refugees. India even allowed them to publish their nationalist newspaper and start off their own radio station. Aung suu kyi, a NLD leader was also awarded “ Jawaharlal Nehru award for International Understanding (the highest Indian honour a foreigner can get)” . But then China with its own strategic intentions made good relations with the burmese army coup and indirectly ttacked India. The north-eastern borders of India were in the high unsafe zone and many innocent lives were lost there.

Thus, amidst all these complications and controversies I think Robert frost’s statement will win hands down. So, India needs a lesson that is to stand firm and not sacrifice our own needed resources. We still face a 52% deficit in water supplies so let’s not be too generous in sharing our waters. Next our borders are marked and marked well then where are the doubts? Why should any country infringe into our lands? Shashi Tharoor in his yet-to-be released book “Pax Indica” has stated that India is like a 298 –pound gorilla in the South Asian waters while the surrounding lands are skinny 98 pounders. We ought to know the limits of our friendship and cordiality so that in the end we don’t have to regret.Let us not bend infront of anyone’s “power”. The Golden Bird must open its wings to fly off into the limitless sky taking the rest with her.
And for the meantime, this is for our neighbours—“My apple trees will never get across and eat the cones under their pines, I tell them. Because Good fences make Good neighbours”